Placer-mining machine.



No. 687,387. Patented Nov. 26, I90l.

s. m. WALCHEB.

PLACER MINING MACHINE.

(Application filed Nov. 12, 1900.) (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet l.

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Patented Nov. 26, I90l. S. M. WALCHER.

PLACER MINING MACHINE.

(Application filed Nov. 12, 1900.)

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No. 687,387. Patented Nov. 26, l90l.

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No. 687,387; Patented Nov. 26, I90l.

s. M. WALCHER.

PLACER MINING MACHINE.

{Application filed Nov. 12I 1900.) (No Modal.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

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No. 687,387. Patented Nov. 26, [90L s. M."WALCIIER.' I

PLACER MINING MACHINE.

(Application filed Nov. 12, 1900.) (N o M o d eI 5 Sheets- She d 5. I

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SIMEON M. WALGHER, OF KANSAS CITY, KANSAS.

PLACER-MINING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 687,387, dated November 26, 1901.

Application filed November 12,1900. Serial No. 36,314. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIMEoN M. WALoHER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Kansas City, in the county of Wyandotte and State of Kansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Placer-Mining Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to placer-mining machines; and the object of the invention is to produce an automatically-operative machine for excavating or boring in gold-bearing earth, sand, gravel, &c., either in a dry state or under water.

My invention is also adapted for collecting oysters and other valuable commodities from submerged locations and for removing the same thoroughly and rapidly.

The machine may also be employed for boring Wells through strata of any character.

Stated briefly, the principle of my invention is that of a cylindrical tube axially rotated and lowered intothe material to be excavated and a series of elevator-buckets traveling within the tube, the buckets being carried by a chain driven by a peculiar inechanism to be described.

With the above objects in view my invention comprises certain peculiar and novel features of construction and combination of parts, as Will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

The machine may be mounted on trucks or on a platform, or for mining under water or in the banks of a body of water the machine is mounted on a suitable flatboat.

Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation of my machine mounted on one side of the deck of a boat, parts of the machine being broken away, showing included parts in central section and the bed-plate extension in section. ig. 2 is a sectional planof the machine, taken on the line II II of Fig. 1, certain parts and the deck of the boat being broken away and the vertical bevel gear-wheel omitted. Fig. 3is a sectional plan taken on the line III III of Fig. 1, the horizontal lever and the deck of the boat being brokenaway. Fig. 4 is an elevation, partly in central vertical section, of the upper end of the elevator-tube and certain adjacent parts of the machine. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view showing the devices secured to the upperend of the elevatortube in section, omitting the transverse shaft. Fig. 5 is a plan of the strut employed for the purpose hereinafter stated. Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse section through the elevator-tube. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional View of the vertical driving-shaft. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the machine and the supportingboat. An obliqueposition of the machine is indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 8 represents a portion of the elevator-chain and a pair of the buckets attached thereto in side elevation. Fig. 9 is a plan of one of the elevatorbuckets, showing the interior of the bucket. Fig. 10 is a central vertical sectional View of the lower end of the elevator-tube and the parts secured therein, one of the spring-boxes being only partlyin section. Fig. 11 is a sectional view of the same, taken on the line XI XI of Fig. 10, showing in addition the boring-bit secured within the elevator-tube. Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the scoop. Fig. 13 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 14 is a side elevation of the auger-bit for clay or gumbo. Fig. 15 is a sectional view of the same, taken on the line XV XV of Fig. 14. Fig. 16 is a bottom plan of another form of auger-bit. Fig. 17 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 18 is a central axial section of the excavating and loosening .bit. Fig. 19 is a bottom plan of the same. Fig. 20 is a bottom plan of the same aftera reverse rotationv of the body of the bit. Fig. 21 is a bottom plan of the gravel-bit. Fig. 22 is a side elevation of the reamer for enlarging holes. Fig. 23 is a bottom plan of the same. Fig. 24 is a broken-out elevation of the reducerbit. Fig. 25 is a detail of the lower end of same. Fig. 26 is a central section through the upper parts of the bit. Fig. 27 is an enlarged detail of the lower end of the bit with the drill in section.

Referring especially to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 7, the frame of the machine consists of four tubular columns 1, having internal rods 2, secured at their upper ends to the plate 3 and at their lower ends to the bed-plate 4. Said plates 3 and 4 are provided with bearings for the ends of the vertical rotatable driver-shaft 5. The bed-plate 4has an extension 6, which is provided with a circular openingforwthe elevator-tube 7. Depending from the lower side of the bed-plate 4 are a pair oflugs or bear ing-blocks 8 integral therewith and perforated for the pivot-pin 12, journaled in the pivot-block 10.

The upper end of the machine is held at any desired angle by two (or more) guy-ropes are suitably secured to caps or plugs at the ends of said springs, so that any tension on the ropes will be yieldingly met by the springs. Stiff rods may be placed within the springs to hold them straight, as shown in Fig. 7. The ropes 13 descend from the lugs 14 to winding-drums 16, to which they are secured. These drums may be operated by any suitable power. The pivot-block is so constructed that the machine may be lowered to a horizontal position at either side thereof. The stiffening-ribs 17 on said block are no wider than the thickness of the journal portion at the top thereof. The necessary bracing for the lower end of the machine when it is not set vertically is supplied by the brace 11, which is shaped as shown in Fig. 7 and is secured to the pivot-block 10. (Shown in Fig. 1.)

Rotatably mounted upon the upper end of the elevator-tube 7 is a sleeve 18, to which is secured an annular plate 19, and secured to the upper face of plate 19 is a collar 20, provided with an outward annular flange 20, to the upper face of which is secured an annular crown-gear2l. Secured to the collar 20, about half-way between said flange and said plate, is a flange 22. Secured to the elevatortube 7, above the upper edge of sleeve 18, is a ring or flange 7*. (Shown in section in Fig. 4.) Said flange rests upon said edge of sleeve 18, and thereby partially supports the weight of the elevator-tube. Without this flange the said weight would come upon the pinion and gear 21. The lower side of flange 7 may be provided with antifriction-rollers. Between flange 22 and plate 19 the collar 20 is provided with sprocket-teeth 29 for engaging a chain 23, which is driven by a sprocketwheel 24, splined to the shaft 5. Chain 23 is provided with a suitable device for taking up its slack. Said sprocket-wheel has plates 25 secured thereto above and below the chain. Another circular plate 25 is secured to the upper hub of sprocket 24, and said sprocket is thereby supported by the arms 26-of a strut 27. (Shown detached in Fig. 5.) Between said arms the strut is concaved to fit a drum on the hub of the sprocket-wheel 24. This drum is indicated by dotted lines. The opposite end of the strut 27 has a concave 28, which partially embraces the upper portion of collar 20 and lies between flanges 20 and 22. The concave portions of 'the strut may be provided with antifriction-rollers to bear upon the collar 20 and the drum of wheel 24. The strut serves to hold the elevatortube driving-gear at the proper distance from the shaft 5 against the pull of the chain 23. The rotation of the sprocket-wheel 24 by shaft 5 rotates the sprocket-rim g 29, above referred to, and thereby rotates the crowngear 21. Meshing with said gear is a planetary pinion 30, mounted on a rotatable shaft journaled in blocks 31, secured to the upper end of the elevator-tube. To the same shaft is keyed a sprocket-wheel 32, which drives an endless chain 33. which passes through the elevatortube and around a plain flanged roller 34, the shaft of which is mounted in the said tube, as hereinafter described. Pivotally attached to the links of chain 33 are a series of elevator-buckets 36, arranged in pairs, with the bottoms of each pair in contact, or nearly so, with each other, Figs. 1 and 8. A diametrical partition-plate 37 is secured inside of the elevator-tube 7 and extends between the runs of the elevator-chain 33 nearly from end to end of said tube. Its use is to keep the ascending and descending runs of chain separate from each other. The shaft of the chain-roller 34 plays in slots 38 in a pair of spring-boxes 39, secured to opposite sides of the interior of the tube 7. In Fig. 10 one of the spring-boxes is shown in section and the other in elevation, broken away. Within the boxes 39 are spiral compression-springs 40,

confined between the heads of the boxes and shoes 41, which loosely fit the ends of the shaft 35. The object of said springs is to relieve the elevator-buckets from concussions.

In Figs. 10 and 11 is shown the discharge end of a pipe 42, which traverses the elevator-tube 7 longitudinally, being secured thereto near the partition-plate 37 and rising from the upper end of said tube, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 7, it being so bent that its upper end is concentric with the axis of the elevator-tube. This upper end of the pipe is provided with a steam or water connection, which rotates when the elevator-tube rotates, but remains concentric therewith.

Mounted above the extension 6 of the bedplate 4-is a gear-wheel 43, the lower side of which has an annular groove which engages a plurality of antifriction rollers mounted on said extension in any suitable manner. Said gear-wheel is integral with or secured to a sleeve 44, which may be termed the hub of said wheel. This. hub or sleeve loosely embraces the elevator-tube 7 and extends downwardly through the circular opening inthe extension 6, but not in contact with the edges thereof. The groove in the wheel 43 by engaging the rollers mentioned holds said Wheel and hub concentric with said circular opening and also keeps said wheel in mesh with a gear-wheel 45, which is rigidly mounted on the vertical shaft 5. Said shaft has a splinegroove 46 throughout its length. Directly pair of the columns 1.

above gear-wheel 45 is a bevel gear-wheel 47, the hub of which has a spline engaging said groove 46. Said hub has a peripheral groove in which is rotatably secured a ring 48, to which is pivoted the forked end of a lever 49, fulcrumed on a cross-bar 50, secured to a When the wheel 47 is in lowered position, it engages the driving- Wheel 51, which is keyed to the shaft 9, which is preferably not integral with the pivot-pin mentioned hereinbefore. A winding-drum 52 is rotatably mounted on shaft 9. A halfclutch is secured to said drum, and the shift ing member of the clutch is splined to the shaft 9 and operated by the lever 53, constructed in a well-known manner. To the hub 54 of drum 52 may be secured a ratchetwheel, (not shown,) which may be engaged by a dog or pawl for occasional use when it would be desirable to hold the cable 55 under tension to support the elevator-tube 7. Secured to the periphery of drum 52 is the end of a rope or cable 55,which extends upwardly, passes over a sheave 56, supported by brackets 57, and over a sheave 58, suspended from plate 3, and thence down to the supportingbeam 59, to which it is secured. The ends of said beam have semicircular recesses or have concaved shoes, which slidingly engage two of the columns 1. The lower face of the beam has a segmental recess, in which the edge of the circular plate 25 may revolve. The strut 27, hereinbefore described, is secured to the lower face of the beam 59. Thus the weight of the elevator-tube is mainly supported by the strut 27, the sleeve 18, and the ring 7 Said strut supports also the driving sprocketwheel 24 by engaging the plate or disk 25, as aforesaid.

The elevator-tube 7 has formed therein a longitudinal corrugation, which presents'an outwardly-opening groove 60. Said groove is adapted to be engaged by a dog 61, of any suitable form, slidingly mounted in a boss 62 of the hub or sleeve 44. Any suitable retaining device, such as a cotter-pin or a spring, may be employed to secure the dog within the groove 60. Such retaining devices are to be thrown out of action at certain times, so that the dog 61 may be retracted sulficiently to clear the groove 60, and thereby permit relative rotation between the elevator-tube and the sleeve 44. The inner end of the dog 61 is formed so as not to jam in the groove or prevent vertical movement of the elevatortube.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the elevator-tube, the crowngear 21, and the sprocket-wheel 24 will descend of their own weight unless supported by the cable 55.

The planetary pinion 30 is rotated by the rotation of the crown-gear 21 when the dog 61 is disengaged from the groove 60. At such times when the elevatoris in operation the elevator-tube is prevented from rotating by some form of brake (not shown) or by the friction between said tube .and the material being excavated. Said pinion is rotated and also revolved when the dog engages the said groove, as in this case the elevator-tube 7, carrying the pinion-shaft, is rotated by the hub 44 in a direction contrary to the direction of rotation of the crown-gear 21. In other words, when the dog 61 engages the groove 60 the elevator-tube isrotated by the gear-wheel 47 through the intermediacy of the shaft 5, the gear-wheel 45, the driven gear 43, the hub 44, and the dog 61, and the crown-gear 21 is rotated in a contrary direction by the same gear-wheel 47 through the shaft 5, the sprocket-wheels 24, chain 23, and collar 20. Said gear-wheel 47 is driven through gear-wheel 51 and shaft 9, by any suit-able motor, none being shown in the drawings. Gear-wheel 47 may be released from the gear-wheel 51 by depressing the handle of the lever 49, and the drum 52 may then be used independently to raise the elevator by means of the cable 55.

I have designed a variety of bits for auxiliary excavating and boring, the bits being adapted for widely-diiferent materials. Preferred forms of these bits are represented by Figs. 12 to 27, inclusive. Each bit has a tubular shank adapted to fit within the lower end of the elevator-tube 7. These shanks are provided with oppositely-disposed'open slots, which straddle the spring-boxes 39. (See Fig. 11.) The shank of each bit has two or more threaded perforations, which register with perforations in the elevator-tube. Screws may be run into said perforations in order to prevent the possible escape of the bit from the tube.

Figs. 12 and 13 represent a scoop for oysters or other valuable articles or substance. The scoop is carried by the elevator-tube, the boat or carriage of the machine is put in motion, the elevator-tube set at the desired height, and the scoop skinis or shaves the bed of the body of water. The elevatorbuckets raise the material through the tube,

which is prevented from rotating during this operation by a brake or some other suitable device.

Fig. 14 represents my auger-bit for penetrating andcutting up clay or gumbo. It comprises a plurality of tapering cutter-bars 63, secured. at their upper ends to a ring or collar 64 and drawn together at their bottom by an internally-screw-threaded point 65, having an external spiral groove. A conical plug may be secured within the. lower ends of the cutter-bars to strengthen the auger. The cutter-bars are inclined, substantially as shown in Fig. 15, a sectional view, in the direction of the arrow. The cast of the spiral groove is such that the point 65 tends to enter the material when the anger is rotated with the outermost edges of the cutter-bars in advance.

Fig. 16 is a bottom plan of an earth-auger adapted to be used with my machine. It is a drum open and notched at the top and having its bottom plate 66 slotted on or near a diameter thereof, a central opening therein, and two opposite edges of the slot bent outwardly to form cutting-lips 67. (See also Fig. 17.)

Figs. 19 and 20 are bottom plan views of my excavating and loosening bit. It comprises a drum 68, a bar 69, a pivot-bolt 70, and two stop-studs 71 and 72. The bar 69 has a series of teeth 73 formed on or secured to one edge thereof. The inner end of the bar is pivoted, preferably, in the position shown in the views. When the drum 68 is rotated by the elevator-tube in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 19, the bar 69 is yieldingly caught by the material to be excavated until the stud 7l.strikes the bar, after which the bar is revolved by said stud as long as the bit is turned in this direction, the bar projecting beyond the periphery of the drum. The rotation of said bar thoroughly loosens the material for which it is de signed. Whenever it is desired to retract the bar 69 while the bit is embedded in material, the direction of rotation ofthe bit is reversed by reversing the engine drivingshaft 9. When this is done, the bar 69 is held by the material until the other stud 72 strikes it. As the bar is pivoted eccentrically of the bit, the bar is drawn partly across the bit and remains as shown in Fig. 20 until the bit is reversed, the bar being revolved then by the stud 72. 74 designates perforations in the bottom of the drum. These perforations may be much larger than shown in the drawings. The material being agitated works up through them and is raised by the buckets 36. Fig. 18 is a central axial section through this bit.

Fig. 21 is a bottom plan view of the gravelbit. It is a drum, the bottom plate 75 of which is punched with a plurality of V-shaped cuts 76, the triangular tongues 77, formed by said cuts, being struck outwardly at right angles to the plate and being perpendicular to radii drawn through them, as shown. The material being operated in works up through the openings adjacent to the teeth and is raised by the elevator-buckets. When this bit is rotated, the tongues or teeth 77 agitate the gravel or other material in which it is placed.

For boring through rock or stone I employ a bit of the type shown in Fig. 11. The bit is a cylinder 78, having teeth 79 out in its lower edge. An annular diamond bit of the usual kind may also be fitted in the lower end of the elevator-tube.

My special reamer-bit for obtaining sample material from the sides of holes that have been excavated by one of the other bits is shown in side elevation in Fig. 22 and in bottom plan in Fig. 23. The reamer comprises a cylindrical drum or body having a closed bottom 88 and two or more cuttingblades 89, hinged to the sides of the drum.

- The upper portion of the drum forms the shank for insertion into the lower end of elevator-tube 7. The blades 89, when closed, cover openings in the drum or body, one of said openings being indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 22. Inwardly-projecting plates 89 are secured to the inner sides of blades 89, near the bottom edges thereof. These plates are inclined downwardly toward their inner edges. When the reamer is rotated in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 23, the blades 89 swing outward by centrifugal force and cut material from the sides of the shaft, the material falling upon the plates 89 and thence to the interior of the drum through the aforesaid openings and being raised by the elevatorbuckets 36. When the direction of rotation is reversed, the blades 89 will close in upon the drum, which may then be readily raised from the hole.

I have designed a special bit, combined-with a valve, for boring under water, in crevices between rocks, and other places which are too narrow to admit the elevator tube itself. This bit, with its accessories, is represented in Figs. 24, 25, 26, and 27. The bit proper, 91, is secured in any suitable manner to the tubular stem 92, which is composed of one or more sections of pipe coupled together, as indioated in Fig. 24. The upper end of the stem is firmly secured within a central opening through the bottom plate 93 of the drum 94 and projects above the bottom of the drum in order to form a trap or pocketin the drum. The upper part of the drum 94 is adapted to be secured in the elevator-tube and rotated thereby. The lower end of the bit 91 is pro= vided with terminal teeth which are flared outwardly and communicate with a series of spiral grooves cut into the sides of the bit. An irregularly-shaped plate 95 is transversely secured within the bit 91, near its lower end, by means of cars 96 or in any other suitable manner. The greater portion of the periphery of plate 95 is curved to fit the inside of the bit. The tongue or projection 97 of this plate is bent slightly downward, as shown in Fig. 27, and acts as a shaving-blade upon soft material beneath when rotated in the direction of the arrow. A sector-shaped wingplate 98 is attached to plate 95 by a radial hinge 99 and is shown in raised position. The operation of the entire device is as follows: The bit 91 is inserted in the submerged crack or crevice from which it is desired to obtain gold-bearing earth or sand. The bit is rotated by the elevator-tube and also lowered thereby at a suitable rate of motion.

The bit grinds or cuts out any hard substance encountered, and the soft clay, sand, &c., within the bit is cut up and agitated by the blade 97. The water seeks its level by rising through the bit and its tubular stem 92, and this great upward pressure raises a large quanity of solid matter to the drum 94, from which it is taken by the elevator-buckets 36. The capacity of the tube 92 is so small that the water does not run in as fast as it is removed by the elevator-buckets, so that the elevatortube 7 is empty of water when tube 92 is in use. Some of the heavier fragments may fall into the drum and may be removed therefrom when the drum is detached from the elevatortube. When the water has reached its level within the stem 12, the wing-plate 98, which has been held up by the rush of water, falls back and rests on the blade 97, acting as a valve which retains most'of the solid matter within the stem. The elevator-tube is then raised with the stem and bit, the drum 94 is removed from the elevator-tube, and the contents of the drum, stem, and bit are removed in any preferred manner.

These bits may be of different diameters, from four inches up to fifteen inches. The elevator-tube would necessarily be of larger diameter, say, from twenty four to sixty inches.

I have given a partial statement of the operation of the machine. The following explanation will lead to a complete understanding of the handling and action of the machine. The objects of pivoting the machine at the bottom are several. When the elevator'tube is in a horizontal position, the bits are more easily inserted and withdrawn therefrom and the mechanism at the top of the machine is made accessible. The main object of such pivoting is to provide for excavating at any desired angle, as in banks or hills, and

for excavating obliquely in irregular ground without having to change the length of the elevator-tube. For submarine work, especially at considerable depths, I shall construct the elevator-tube in two or more telescoping sections and the partition 37 in corresponding sections, and when it is necessary to lengthen said tube I cut the elevator-chain, separate two adjacent sections of the tube, insert one or more tube-sections, and connect in the necessary length of chain- In some cases I wish to secure lengths of tubing to the bottom of the lower section which contains the elevatorohain roller 34. When the machine is ready for action with a suitable bit secured to the elevator-tube, the motor-driving shaft 9 is started, the wheel 47 is thrown out of gear by the lever 49, the drum 52 is clutchedby throwing the lever 53, and the tube is raised to the desired height. It is then lowered by reversing the motor, and the wheel 47 is put in gear with the wheel 51. This starts the crowngear and elevator, and if rotation of the elevator-t ube itself 7 is desired the dog 61 is pushed into engagement with the groove 60. If the excavating is in dry material, water is admitted to the pipe 42, mixes with the material at the bottom of the elevator-tube, and is carried up over the sprocket 32 by the buckets, which dump their contents into the annular chamber 81, Fig. 4, formed by the sleeve 18, plate 19, and collar 20. Said plate 19 is provided with openings 82, Fig. 2, through which the water and solid matter fall into the annular catch-basin 83, which has a hub or sleeve 84, which rests upon a flange 85, secured to the elevator-tube. Said catch-basin is prevented from rotating by any suitable means, a rope or rod 86 being shown in Fig. 2, the ends of the rope or rod being attached to the rim of the basin and to one of the columns 1, respectively. Said basin has a depending outlet-tube S7, beneath which a sluice-box may be placed, or a hose may be connected thereto and the material conveyed to any desired point. Regardless of the direction of movement of the elevator-chain half of the buckets 36 will be active in raising material. When the machine is used for boring in frozen earth, a supply of steam is admitted to the lower end of the elevator-tube through the pipe 42. When boring in dry but not frozen earth, water is conveyed to the lower end of the elevator-tube through the same pipe 42.

For certain special kinds of work, such as raising material from sunken casings of large diameter, I employ a modification of the elevator-tube, comprising two or more channelbars, angle-irons, or tubes, which are not rotated and which form the support for the elevator buckets and chain. This frame is lowered into the casing and the elevator raises the material in the usual manner.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In a placer-mining machine,a cylindrical tube, a vertically-sliding support in which said tube is rotatably mounted, a vertical frame or tower adjacent to said tube, a vertical rotatable shaft supported by said frame,

ICU

a sprocket-wheel driven by said shaft and supported by said sliding support, a sleeve or hub rotatably mounted upon said tube, a sprocket-gear secured to said hub, and a sprocket-chain connecting the said sprockets; substantially as described.

2. In a placer-mining machine,a cylindrical tube, a frame or tower adjacent to said tube, a rotatable shaft supported by said frame, a sprocket-wheel driven by said shaft, a sleeve or hub rotatably mounted upon said tube, a sprocket-gear secured to said hub, a chain connecting said sprockets, an annular crowngear secured to the upper portion of said hub so as to be driven by said sprocket-gear, a pinion meshing with said crown-gear, a shaft for said pinion extending diametrically across said tube and journaled in said tube, an elevator-driving sprocket keyed to said shaft, a chain-andbucket elevator driven by said sprocket and extending to the bottom of said tube, and a chain-roller yieldingly mounted at or near the lower end of said tube; substantially as described.

Inaplacer-miningmachine,acylindrical tube rotatable about its longitudinal axis, a longitudinal groove formed in said tube nearly from end to end thereof, a frame or towerby which said tube is guided, an extended base of said frame having a circular opening concentric with saidtube, a sleeve embracing said tube above said opening, a dog or catch carried by said sleeve, adapted to engage said groove, and gearing connected with a motor for rotating said sleeve; substantially as described. I

4. In aplacer-mining machine,a cylindrical tube rotatable about its longitudinal axis, a longitudinal groove formed in said tube nearly from end to end thereof, a vertical frame or tower by which said tube is guided, a vertical rotatable shaft supported by said frame, a driving gear-wheel keyed to said shaft, an extended base of said frame having an opening concentric with said tube, a sleeve embracing said tube above said opening, a dog or catch carried by said sleeve a driven gear-wheel having said sleeve as a hub, and engaging the gear-wheel on said vertical shaft, rollers interposed between said extended base and said driven gear, said rollers entering a groove in said gear and thereby holding it in mesh with said driving gear; substantially as described;

5. In a placer-mining machine, a frame or tower, a rotatable shaft, parallel with the risers of said frame and journaled at the top and bottom of said frame, a driving sprocketwheel splined upon said rotatable shaft, a collar adjacent to said sprocket and concentric therewith, a driven collar rotatably mounted upon the said tube, a strut or spreader-plate lying between said collars, a sprocket-gear secured to said driven collar below said strut, a chain connecting said sprockets, lateral flanges attached to said collars above said sprockets and strut for shielding them from sand, water, &c., a cross-beam secured centrally to said strut, and a cable secured to said cross-beam for raising and lowering said tube, substantially as described.

6. In a placer-mining machine, an elevatortube, a sleeve rotatably mounted near the upper end thereof, an outwardly-extending annular flange secured to the lower edge of said sleeve, a concentric drum or collar secured to the upper side of said flange, a flaring rim above said dru m or collar, a plurality of openings through said flange, a collar rigidly secured to said tube below said flange, and an annular catch-basin loosely supported by said collar, so that said tube may rotate Within said basin; the said flange and collar above said basin forming an annular chamber for receiving the material dumped which passes through said openings into said catch-basin; substantially as described.

7. In a placer-mining machine, a frame or.

tower, a pivot-pin and base-block to which the lower end of said frame is pivoted, a bearin g-block secured to one end of said baseblock, a drive-shaft in 'alinement with said pivot-pin, said shaft being journaled at one end in said bearing-block, a bevel gear-wheel keyed to said shaft near said bearing-block, a winding-drum loosely mounted on said shaft near said gear, a clutch for engaging or disengaging said drum, a rotatable shaft guided by said frame or tower parallel with the risers thereof, a spline-groove in said shaft throughout its length, a bevel gear-wheel splined to said shaft and normally meshing with the wheel on said driving-shaft, a sprocket-wheel splined to said grooved shaft above said gearwheel, members for supporting said sprocketwheel, and a cable secured at one end to said members and at the other end to said winding-drum; substantially as described.

8. In a machine of the class described, the combination, with the elevator-tube, of an excavating-bit comprising a cylindrical drum having a perforated bottom, the upper portion of said drum forming a tubular shank, a bar pivoted at one end to the lower side of the bottom of said dru m, downwardly-extend ing teeth struck out from the edge of said bar, and stop-studs secured to the bottom of said drum; substantially as described.

9. In a placer-n1ining machine,a cylindrical tube rotatable about its longitudinal axis, a frame by which said tube is guided, an endless chain-and-bucket elevator mounted in said tube, and a pipe for conveying steam or water to the lower end of said tube, said pipe being secured within said tube and having its upper portion bent inwardly wherebyits upper end is concentric with said cylindrical tube, substantially as shown and described. In. testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

SIMEON. M. \VALCHER. 

